Matters of the Heart 💓💔💕 Cactus 2

As I opened the letter my hands started shaking, I didn't know what to expect.

Dear Mum, I know you are doing well, I spoke to Dad two days ago and he agreed with me that it's best I put what I want to tell you in writing. I am going to Asia for voluntary work  for one year. I don't know how you will feel considering the situation at hand about Denis. You know how passionate I am about helping the needy and this opportunity is one I wouldn't want to lose. Mum I promise to keep in touch. I have resigned from my job in London hopefully when I return I will get another one. I love you Mum and I will make sure I call you everyday. Take care of yourself and please don't be angry at Dad, he tried speaking me out of it, but I  have already committed myself to it. don't worry mum I will be fine.With LoveRosaxxx

Oh no! what is this again, she must be joking. I got my phone and tried to call her (as i paced up and down in the living room) but it was going to voicemail. Ross came in and saw my face, he must have sensed what was going on. You knew all this while Ross and you didn't tell me why. I am calling her but it's not going through. I am so sorry darling he said, she must be on the flight already that is why. I tried speaking her out of it but she already made her mind up. She loves to give, I can remember when she was in school how she used to go to any length to raise funds for different charities, she participated in the marathon just to raise funds. Dafina love, he held me in a tight embrace, I know you are scared, nothing is going to happen to Rosa, she will be fine. I couldn't talk I just wept quietly as he held me. 

Two weeks after the letter we didn't hear from Rosa I was so anxious, it was not the promise she made in her letter. I haven't prayed in a long time but I remember my late parents said "when it's beyond man it can never and will never be beyond God so pray" I just prayed to God to keep Rosa safe and to bring Denis back home. Eloise finished her course at University same month. she was home most of the time. I became overprotective, she was nearly having nervous breakdown because I checked on her all the time even when she was in the house. when it was exactly three weeks that Rosa left as I sat down watching TV one afternoon the house phone rang. I nearly didn't pick it because I thought it was probably another telesales. I have been picking every calls since Rosa left and now I just feel like something has happened to my daughter. After the fourth ring I picked it and

  It was a man as he said hello and I responded, the line sounded quite faint until the familiar voice came through it was Rosa. 

Rosa: Mum I'm so sorry, I should have called you but the airline mistakenly forgot my bag in the country where we had  stop over. I know you must be worried. I am sorry mum.. hello, hello.. 

Dafina: I am here Rosa I was worried, but I am happy now. Have they found your bag,

Rosa: yes they have. I  had my mobile but for some reason it wouldn't work? I am yet to collect my bag. I am in a very remote village no electricity or water. This is the only place where I can make call but mum I love it here, seeing myself helping people directly. How is Eloise and Dad.I miss you all.

Dafina: they are fine, I miss you too sweetheart. I need you to keep yourself safe. I know you are there to help but make sure you stay out of danger. I can't believe I wouldn't see you until next year. Is there a number to call you on, anyway to send an email?

Rosa: Mum we will be leaving here tomorrow to the city there I can get a new mobile phone and call you, mum give me your mobile number and dad's please. 

(Dafina gave her my number and her dad's.) Rosa promised to call and I just felt like holding her. 

Ross woke up after the call ended and I told him. He had that I told you so look on his face. For the first time in three weeks I actually smiled. I wish I could smile over Denis's issue as well I told Ross. Ross had this calm all will be okay nature, no matter how I panicked he was just there supporting like he has the solution already. That has been one of the things that have kept me going all this years since Denis has been missing. He will always say re-assuredly that he will come home. I begged him to help me one more time to go in search of Denis and if I don't find him this time I will know that is the end but never forget till I die. Ross said when I am ready he is ready as ever.

It's was summer time, a couple moved to the next house to our house. They seem so different from everyone around us. One day as I was going out the wife saw me and she came to me. She sounded so polite but with a very strange accent, I couldn't place the accent, if she was American, Canadian so I decided to ask. She told me she's originally from Zimbabwe but grew up in Australia, the way I repeated Aus..tra..lia she looked at me, it was like I heard a ghost speak. She told me they own a company they just established a branch in Glasgow which was why they relocated. As time went by, I got to know the Moko family, Rebecca and Nathan were lovely couple. They made sure they checked on Ross and I , even Eloise loved to see the couple anytime they come for tea which was how we got to know them better. One day they came for tea as usual, and they brought a big hamper with different lovely and expensive things in it. There were three Bibles in it, each customized with our names on the hard cover.

There was the night this lovely couple told us that aside the company, they were ministers in Church. They told us how they became Christians, they have been married for ten years but they actually looked like newly weds the way they relate with each other plus they looked quite young. They told us that they were on their way out on a family drive out in Australia when they were involved in an accident and only three people survived out of the cars that collided. In this fatal accident they lost their 8 years old daughter and Rebecca lost the pregnancy she was carrying then. Before they finished the story,  I was already in tears as it brought the memories of my parents and Denis back. They told us that the cars burnt down but they came out without a wound but unconscious. They said whilst in hospital for almost three weeks they were unconscious and the doctors were thinking of switching the  life machine off but miracle happened. There was a nurse that worked on the ward they both were, anytime she came into the room Rebecca or Nathan was they will move, when she told the Doctors they didn't believe her but they did some investigation by following her to the rooms and staying by the door and indeed they saw them move. But she always sang a song whilst in the room;

Someone's calling out your name, Calling time and time again
Can you hear Him calling
Can you hear Him calling
He's been calling very long, He's been calling for so long
Can you hear Him calling
He's been calling you
His Jesus Jesus Jesus, is at the door 

Don't let him walk away
He's so patient but, don't take a chance
All you need to do is open the door
Let Him take his rightful place
So He can change your world

Open up the door..

Jesus Christ is waiting, the lamb of God is waiting

He just want to bless you open up the door...

(by Nathaniel Bassey)

They woke up two days later after the doctors realized what was happening. She was the one who led them to Jesus, they told us although they lost their children but God has remained unchanged in their lives. A year later they had another child but she is in Australia with Rebecca's family. I couldn't help it anymore the pain of a missing child and losing my parents became so fresh. I had to leave, Eloise came to console me while Ross explained to the Moko's that we have a son that was missing and he went missing in Australia. I came back to join them later and I was led to Christ, if he can bring the Moko's back to life and give them another child after losing one and a pregnancy I have hope that he will bring Denis home.

Rebecca became so close to me and my family as her husband travelled far and wide for the gospel and their company but she worked from home most time. My family became born again Christians through the Moko's family. Eloise found work in New Jersey and decided to relocate but I didn't panic, Rosa came back a year and two month after she went for the voluntary work in Asia. She was surprised to see how changed I was, no more panicking and my way of speaking had changed. My faith  affirms daily especially on the case of Denis. One night Ross fell from the stairs and broke his knee, I thought I was going to lose him, he was in the hospital for close to a month. Rebecca and Rosa came on daily basis. Rosa got engaged to Lawrence a guy she met while volunteering he was from Australia as well. After Ross was discharged from hospital he had to retire from work,  It gave us time to spend together as I had to retire to look after Ross. 

Nathan came back from one of his long trip one day and insisted he needed to see me and Ross. As he walked in with Rebecca I couldn't read their countenance, they said they had some information they wanted to share with us. A family joined their church back in Australia and they have been involved immensely in the church. The last time Nathan visited he was able to meet them but the wife could tell him much about her family but the husband couldn't the wife said she met him when he was due for discharge from hospital after an accident which happened to be thesame accident the Moko's were involved in but unfortunately he had profound memory loss. He couldn't even remember his name and no identity card was found on him, due to the cars catching fire he probably lost all in that fire. 

As Nathan was narrating that story I had a feeling of the void in my heart filling up, I said what is his name, Nathan said Daniel, do you have a picture of him. He passed the picture to Ross who for the first time had tears filled in his eyes. I knew it was Denis before I was given the picture, as I held the pictures my tears of joy finally dropped it was Denis. Nathan said Daniel's wife has tried to find his family but no luck. She said of recent he will just call mama and starts crying, he keeps saying he had a dream and he saw his mama and when he tried to hold her there was a bridge to cross and as he tried to cross over he woke up. He has had same dream three times in the past month.

Two weeks later we embarked on a journey to Australia, I told Eloise to join us there because we don't know who he will recognise among all of us in real life. I was sleepless for nearly two weeks prior to the trip. I kept praying to God and one night just like someone was speaking to me. To open Joel 2:25-27 " and I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the Caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which i sent among you. and ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be ashamed. and ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else; and my people shall never be ashamed".

I knew God was telling me that he has brought my son back to me and I just praised Him. The day came for us to go, I already pack everything that could bring his memory back from childhood picture from when my parent's were raising him and the picture of the accident scene he was when my parent's died and only him survived.

As we got out of the Airport in Melbourne I felt an extra peace within me. When we got to the church house that Nathan and Rebecca lived. About an hour later Eloise arrived. Nathan had briefed Daniel(Denis)'s wife(Clara) about all of us and that we are Denis's family. I saw a lady come up with a baby and a toddler then I saw Denis come up with two boys they looked like twins. Oh! it was Denis, he came in didn't recognise anybody but me he stood in front of me looking like he was getting dizzy then said "mama, mama" I held him in my arms crying. I had all the pictures from birth to the most recent he sent to us whilst he was studying in Australia before we stopped hearing from him. When he saw the picture of the accident scene of my parents he recognised it and said grand ma and grand pa.

It took 10years before Denis came back. He has his Identity back. It was glorious and divine restoration, just like a cactus, the appearance looked dangerous but inside it is succulent. From the afar my life situation seem bad but the end bit is joy. You wouldn't get inside a Cactus without breaking the spiky body so I went through the worst just to be restored with 4 grandchildren and my son. Three months later Rosa got married, Eloise Returned back to America. The Moko's had another child even when they didn't expect it. God is God alone, the king that can never share His Crown. Through the darkest moment he was there, I love you Jesus.